Tradition: Serah & Hope
by Ruine
Summary: Lightning celebrates her 22nd birthday. "So, it's an all out invasion this time," Lightning noted with wry amusement. Full Details Inside.


**Title**: **Tradition: Hope & Serah** ( **1**/**4** )  
><strong><span>W<span>ritten by Ruine**  
><strong><span>D<span>edicated to ALL WHO REVIEWED _Tradition_:_ Serah_; especially, _Lescachan_ (whose review convinced me to give it another go), _The Genius Mage Divine Wolfe_ (for, undoubtedly, the best review I ever received for _Tradition_**:** _Serah_. Or even even about my writing in general****. Thank you for your kind words!**) **and _Extrinsical_ **(**for letting me know I hadn't botched the characterization as much as I feared I might have and for inclusion to her Community**)  
><strong><span>D<span>isclaimer**: Final Fantasy XIII, original cast and storyline, belong to Square-Enix Company, Limited & Tetsuya Nomura. No copyright infringement intended. This work was made solely for pleasure and no profit was ever gained in its distribution.  
><strong><span>C<span>haracter**(**s**): Lightning Farron, Serah Farron, Hope Estheim  
><strong><span>P<span>airing**(**s**): Snow Villiers x Serah Farron (Established), Lightning Farron + Serah Farron (Platonic), Lightning Farron + Hope Estheim (Platonic)  
><strong><span>W<span>arning**(**s**): Spoilers for Lightning's Real Name, some swearwords  
><strong><span>S<span>tatus**: Edited, In-Progress  
><strong><span>R<span>ating**: PG-13, Family/Humor, Fluff  
><strong><span>S<span>ummary**: Lightning celebrates her 22nd birthday. "So, it's an all out invasion this time," Lightning noted with wry amusement.  
><strong><span>W<span>ord Count**: 7,961  
><strong><span>T<span>imeline**: One year after the beginning of the game.**  
><strong>

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><p><strong><span>L<span>AST REVISION**: 29 JULY 2012. Corrected some grammatical errors, added some more dialogue and altered the ending of the chapter to fit with the succeeding installment.

* * *

><p>[ <strong>1 <strong>]

**T**he aroma of cheese pancakes, topped with melted butter and sprinkled with maple syrup, was overpowering.

Lightning Farron found herself easily coaxed out of her pleasant dreams by that familiar and, now, unusual smell. She drew in a deep breath, relishing the rare treat and allowed the many memories, both bitter and sweet, this triggered to fill her drowsy mind. The young Guardian Corps captain felt her lips twitch at the fleeting images and feelings. She drew in another long breath and roused herself entirely; willing away the lingering tendrils of sleep stubbornly clinging to her. She was on shift today and she had to set a good example for her subordinates. Hell, _she_ was the standard; according to General Amador.

Languidly, the soldier opened her eyes and yawned. Lightning discovered that she had managed to curl up quite snugly in her bed; the thin blanket encircling her legs and partially wrapped around her chest. It took her a few seconds to disentangle herself from the cotton bonds. Absently, she looked over to the small night table beside her bed; noting with mild consternation that her alarm clock was nowhere to be found. The round tabletop only held a single picture frame; at the sight of the familiar object, Lightning smiled and focused on the photograph. She may have lost the original frame and picture of her younger sibling and herself in Bodhum because of the Fall but this new one Serah had given her more than made up for its loss.

They were older and different here, as the picture was taken recently. Lightning was dressed in her Guardian Corps uniform while Serah was clad in a stylish outfit consisting of a white dress shirt lined with ruffles on the sleeves and collar, and a pair of sleek black pants that flared out at the ankles. The ensemble clearly accented her younger sister's growing beauty and maturity. Serah had come far since the l'Cie ordeal, and Lightning couldn't be more proud of her and her accomplishments. The younger Farron had achieved her goals, and was currently living the life she had wanted for herself; becoming a teacher and nurturing the young minds under her care with extraordinary success. Lightning felt that one of Serah's best lessons was the fact that she taught the children of New Bodhum how to think for themselves; freeing them from the preconceived prejudices, influences and lies of the Cocoon Fal'Cie.

Lightning's lips twitched, suddenly recalling rumors she had overheard that her little sister was quite the strict teacher; many had naturally assumed it was because of _her_. _Not really_, she thought, feeling inordinately smug._ they forget Serah_'_s a Farron_;_ she has a core of steel just like me_._ She just hides it better. _Still, she knew that Serah was universally adored by her pupils despite having such a reputation. _That charm __didn_'_t come from me for sure, _she decided before refocusing on the frame. _Probably from Mom_.

Serah was grinning here, instead of smiling softly in the last picture. The first photograph had been shot several years after the death of their parents and both of them had still been grieving; there had been little to smile about then. Now, Lightning couldn't help but notice how Serah looked not only happy but utterly content. _I suppose I have Snow to thank for it, _she conceded to herself grudgingly. The large man still had countless bad, reprehensible habits and quirks but Lightning would never ever doubt his love and devotion for her little sister.

Next, Lightning studied her own captured face; her smile was wide (at least for her) and, overall, Lighting secretly admitted that she herself was far happier now and she had a good idea why. Granted that the future was distant and shrouded in mystery; at times, looking very uncertain. But, because they now could decide for themselves without interference of the Fal'Cie; Lightning was inwardly optimistic. Much had been lost in the Fall of Cocoon and, seemingly, little may have been gained in return for their rebellion against Fal'Cie rule. But the Guardian Corps Captain believed that freedom of choice and the chances to make those choices, both good and bad, right or wrong, were ultimately worth the cost. Though, she did still feel a sting of bitter regret over the loss of Fang and Vanille. That price had been a little too high.

_Someday, you two, _she thought seriously, reiterating her promise. _Someday, we_'_ll get you both out of that pillar without risking Cocoon and figure out how to wake you from Crystal Stasis_. _We have all the chances in the world now_ _to do so_._ The future is __**ours **__to decide, and it_'_s mostly thanks to the both of you_._ It_'_s only fair you get to enjoy it along with the rest of us_.

Still, for all she had lost in this ordeal, Lightning felt what had been taken was restored. Serah was with her again, though not entirely in the same way.

Her younger sister had moved forward in life; it was inevitable. Lightning took this fact in stride, consoled that despite everything that had happened; Serah and her were closer now. The rift that had formed between them over the years because of her work had been healed and bridged. However, Serah had Snow in her life now and Lightning knew that she was no longer the central figure in her little sister's thoughts. But, Lightning wasn't entirely left by herself either.

Another figure had joined the Farron sisters in this photograph.

Hope Estheim was smiling softly at the camera, a tinge of pink on his pale cheeks. He was wearing a tight-fitting, black short-sleeved shirt that showed off his trim physique, and dark khaki cargo pants. His favorite green kerchief was still wrapped around his slender neck. The boy's own expression was peaceful but Lightning could see the lingering traces of grief in the growing young man's face; it had only been less than a year since his own mother had died so violently. Lightning was equally proud of him; he was not only handling his loss but rising above it.

_I really should thank Sazh for taking such a great photograph_, Lightning mused. _Who knew the old man was as good with photography as he was flying a ship_.

Serah was giving a V-Sign, one arm slung on Hope's waist; Hope, at Serah's urging, had done the same to her. Her little sister had even convinced him to flash a V-Sign of his own along with her and this was probably the likely culprit for the fetching blush on the boy's cheeks. Lightning had placed her hands on each of their shoulders; the left hand on Hope's and the right hand on Serah's.

Behind them, just like the old picture, was a lovely vista of a blue sea. However, the difference was evident. It wasn't on Cocoon—in fact, on the upper left corner of the photograph a part of the crystallized world was just visible. This was unmistakably on Gran Pulse and Lightning had to admit that she found the backdrop far more spectacular than the one shot in Bodhum. The coast of Cocoon's Bodhum was eerily calm and ordered, perfect down to the last detail; while the shore where they had built New Bodhum was slightly choppy and chaotic. Lightning found that she vastly preferred this new beach where the waves looked natural. Free; just like they were now.

The aroma of pancakes suddenly grew even stronger. A polite knock resounded from her door before it swung open. Instinctively, the soldier rolled over in her bed quickly; hand already on the hilt of her gunblade and the gun half-drawn from its holder. She always slept with the weapon now; there had been far too many instances when she had needed the gunblade out and ready, and old habits die hard for Lightning Farron.

_So much for my spatial awareness_, she berated herself dryly. _I should have sensed them much earlier_._ But then again, with __**these**__ two, it_'_s perfectly understandable_ _why I don_'_t react_.

"I've hardly ever seen you that lazy, Light!" Serah Farron nee Villiers chirped blithely from the door of her bedroom. "Usually, you'd be moving around by now. Not that I'm complaining, you should learn to laze around more if you ask me." She flashed her older sibling a wide smile. The younger woman was carrying a small tray with a pair of mugs, a glass filled to the brim with ice and a beading pitcher of chilled orange juice.

Lightning simply fixed her with an unreadable look; sliding the gunblade back into its holder and removing her hand from the hilt; but she kept the sheath close at hand. "Hmph."

Serah's grin didn't fade in the slightest. "Happy Birthday, Claire!" she announced; stepping into the room and marching to the bed to stand there in a strangely victorious pose. She was trailed by a familiar youth who stopped at her side.

"Happy Birthday, Light." Hope Estheim echoed.

Beside her, the boy offered a more reserved, but no less affectionate, smile. His greeting was soft but heartfelt and Lightning had to smile at the sight of the pair. The boy was heavily laden; a massive tray balanced steadily in his hands. On that, Lightning noticed a veritable feast. Aside from the pancakes, there were three strips of bacon, a Sunnyside-up egg, a toasted slice of bread coated liberally with strawberry jam.

In short, her traditional birthday breakfast. Lightning felt her mouth water in anticipation.

The pair moved quickly; Lightning wondered if they had practiced. Serah set her small tray on the night table, deftly avoiding the picture frame and helped Lightning get propped comfortably on the bed; fluffing out her pillows and arranging Lightning so she was as comfortable as possible. Serah even remembered to arrange her gunblade so it was within easy reach of the soldier but not in the way.

Hope waited patiently until Serah was satisfied and, at the younger woman's small nod, he set the tray down in front of Lightning; striding to the night table and lifting the pitcher and pouring the juice into the waiting glass. He turned back to Lightning and placed the container on her right, just above the largest plate.

There was a new touch to the breakfast arrangement, Lightning saw. Serah usually served her breakfast without any ornament. As she remembered, there were the usual five well-sized dishes that covered the expanse of the white, cloth-covered tray; a set of gleaming utensils at the right end and a folded white napkin set underneath the flatware. Now, however, there was a clear crystal bowl opposite her glass of orange juice. Inside the bowl, floating in spring-clear, scented water was a lovely, fully-bloomed red rose with its stem cut close to base of the flower. The fragrance that came from the flower was very rich but subtle.

"Nice." Lightning approved, caressing the silk-soft petals with the tips of her fingers. The flower bobbed gently in the water at her touch.

"Hope's idea," Serah explained, winking at the youth who turned pink. She settled on Lightning's right while Hope moved to the left side of the bed, where the night table stood. He sank into the mattress, glancing over to Serah, who nodded.

In unison, they leaned over and kissed her on the cheek; one on each side. In spite of herself, Lightning felt her face warm and a pleasant feeling swelled and filled her chest. "That one was new too," she observed coolly, proud of the fact her voice remained calm and unruffled.

"Hope's idea too," Serah chimed. "Since he's new to our Tradition; I thought I'd have him add his own touches to some of what we do on your birthday. Do you like it?"

Lightning made a show of thinking it over; watching in concealed mirth as Hope fidgeted. She smiled faintly. "Yes, I like it." Then, she directed a question at the youth who flushed again. "Any more of these little surprises?

"Nu uh!" Serah scolded lightly, wagging her finger at them. "No telling her in advance, Hope Estheim. Light, that's not fair! No cheating. Maker knows that Hope would tell you anything you ask him! And, Hope!" She added as the boy was opening his mouth. "Don't even try to lie; Light will see through you in an instance!"

Lightning and Hope traded looks; amused on the part of Lightning and apologetic on the side of Hope. "I'm not that bad!" Hope protested, appearing somewhat injured. "I can . . . lie. Mostly."

"No, you can't." Serah insisted with a grin.

"I can too!"

"Nope, you can't!"

"Yes, I can!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Sorry, Hope, but you're really an awful liar. Even Light agrees with me, right?" Serah turned to her sister expectantly. Hope stared at her too.

"Hope." Lightning intoned smoothly. "You suck."

Serah laughed brightly while Hope pouted.

"Anyway, dig in!" Serah urged eagerly. "Hope and I have everything planned out for your day! This will be the best birthday ever, I swear on it!"

Wordlessly, the youth turned to the night table briefly and picked up one of the two cups left on the small tray; a maroon-colored one. "Excuse me," he murmured to Lightning as he leaned over her and offered the mug to Serah who was practically bouncing in place from excitement. Serah blinked in confusion then her eyes brightened.

"Oh, thanks! I forgot about my drink!" She took the mug and sipped, sighing happily.

Lightning caught a whiff of her sister's favorite beverage; mint tea with honey. _Just like clockwork, how many birthdays have I woken to this_? She smiled inwardly in memory. _Though, I have to say I like the additions_, she glanced at Hope.

"You're welcome, Serah," Hope was saying and reached out again to take the last cup; the heavy scent of hot chocolate circling him as he nursed his drink. Lightning found his presence in this Farron tradition both new and pleasant. Mostly, because it _was_ Hope.

After the l'Cie ordeal and the hectic months since the Fall; they had only grown closer. He was family in her eyes, like a little brother while Serah was her younger sister. Idly, She wondered if she would feel the same if it had been someone, anyone else . . . probably not, just the thought of Snow's raucous voice this early in the morning nearly brought a grimace to her features. She noticed both Serah and Hope were staring at her, curious and somewhat concerned. Lightning realized she had just been sitting there.

Shaking her head to clear it of those thoughts, the soldier took up her fork and knife; attacking the food with restrained gusto. To her amusement, the duo instantly relaxed and Serah started talking; providing a quiet flow of conversation. Just like the old days, indeed.

Lightning relished the familiar and enjoyed the new. This time, Hope joined her; offering soft replies. With the youth present, Lightning could just focus on eating while she listened silently. She noticed that she would finish her breakfast much faster than she usually would have on previous birthdays. Before, she made the effort to respond to her younger sister but with Hope engaging Serah in her lively chatter; Lightning found herself free to demolish her food.

The meal was just as good as she remembered, probably even better; the batter was smoother, richer and the cheese had a sharper taste. Lightning surmised it was probably because all the ingredients had been natural. Not Fal'Cie-produced. It was surprisingly luxurious, given how hard supplies were to come by of late and the soldier knew that pair must have worked hard to get this all together.

"You've gotten even better, Serah," she complimented, enjoying the heavenly flavors that assaulted her tongue.

"Thanks. But it just wasn't me this time; Hope helped me with breakfast too," Serah told her proudly. "He's pretty handy around the kitchen. In fact, I'm tempted to steal him from his father."

"You still did most of the work, Serah," Hope demurred modestly then added softly. "My mother loved to cook and bake. She was really good at it; I'd help her and some of it rubbed off on me. But, I'm nowhere near as great as she was." There was a gentle, distant look in his green eyes but it vanished quickly and he offered a small grin. "However, thank you. I did learn a lot about cooking from you. My dad's really useless in the kitchen; so I decided I better learn if I don't want us starve. He even has trouble with instant noodles." The youth shuddered. "He overboils the noodles."

Lightning winced in sympathy; she could relate to that. She had had her own episodes with soggy, overcooked noodles during the nights she had to eat quick and cheap. With some surprise, she noticed that she had already devoured all of her pancakes, two of her three bacon strips and finished the egg. She nibbled on the toast, taking small bites of the remaining strip of bacon in between. She was content to listen as Serah and Hope talked about cooking, and who among their friends _could_ cook.

"Snow's reasonable!" Serah was insisting. Hope looked unconvinced.

"Meaning, he's a disaster waiting to happen." Lightning translated around the last corner of bread. Hope's lips twitched, and his green eyes twinkled in agreement.

"He is not!" Serah exclaimed, somewhat indignant. "He helps Lebreau with her café!"

"But, he doesn't cook for the place, Serah," Hope countered slyly. "In fact, I remember Lebreau chasing him out with her rifle last month. Screaming something about 'the unholy desecration of her beloved kitchen'."

"That, I remember," Lightning agreed. "At first, I had thought some monster had gotten into her establishment with the amount of screaming and gunfire I heard. I went over to assist, and saw the tail end of Snow's coat. From what I hear, Gadot is a far better cook then Snow could ever pray to be. And, it's a sour point for the idiot."

Serah pouted, glaring at the pair as they chuckled. "You're both so mean to my hero; you really should stop picking on him so much!"

"We love him, Serah," Hope soothed her, still snickering. "But we're not blind to his lack of culinary expertise."

"What was he trying to do?" Lightning was mildly curious.

"He was trying to make me a dish I liked," Serah flushed slightly. "It didn't exactly go as planned. But! He's gotten better recently; I've been coaching him, really!"

Hope's eyes narrowed in sudden realization. "Was that why I was asked to fix your kitchen piping three weeks ago? There was this odd . . . mass clogging the sink."

" . . . "

"Ah." Hope delicately let the matter drop. "We really should tell Light today's itinerary," he changed the subject tactfully. "If she wants to add or alter some of it, we should give her the option."

Serah nodded. "That's true." She turned to Lightning. "Usually, we walk around Bodhum on your last couple of birthdays but you do that all the time now here, and there isn't much to see anyway. So, Hope and I agreed we'd take you out of town; there are some nice locations nearby and Hope and I know just the place to take you. We've been there before; it's safe and nearby but also far and secret enough that no one would bother us. Hope and I found it once when we were exploring. The rest of the details are a surprise."

Exploring? Lightning wasn't sure she like the sound of that. The very idea both of her little 'siblings' running around in the untamed wilds of Gran Pulse alone didn't rest well on her peace of mind. Both Serah and Hope had shown a rare penchant for finding trouble and vice versa.

"We made a basket, so we'll have lunch out there too." Hope finished hastily, immediately noticing the subtle changes on Lightning's naturally stoic face. He could easily guess the kind of thoughts running inside the older Farron's head. Inwardly, he winced. _Oh great_;_ good job, Serah_._ You just got her suspicious_._ I_'_m sure she_'_s going to ask, rather interrogate us on __**how**__ we found that place—especially when we bring her there! And I_'_m pretty sure, she_'_s not going to be very happy when we tell her all the gory details_.

Lightning listened silently, finishing the last of her breakfast. She could tell that Hope just knew she suspected. _Good, I_'_ll grill it out of him, and Serah later_, she thought in satisfaction while arranging her utensils neatly. _Still_, _overall_ _what they have in mind isn_'_t a bad idea at all_._ I could use the change of scenery_._ Serah and Hope planned this outing well_._ However, I won_'_t be myself if I don_'_t offer some resistance, _her blue eyes glinted. It was part of the tradition; her digging her heels while Serah—and now, Hope—would have to cajole her into agreeing to go.

"Hmm, why don't we just stay home today?" Lightning countered. Serah rolled her eyes and looked to Hope meaningfully; the boy just offered a slight smile and shrugged lightly in helpless acceptance.

"On your birthday?" Serah looked aghast. "That is no way to spend a birthday, Light!"

"As it's my birthday, shouldn't I decide how I'd like to spend it?" Lightning pointed out slyly; Serah pouted. Clearly, she hadn't thought of that. Serah looked to Hope pleadingly.

"Who's to say you _won_'_t_ like where we're going to take you, Light?" Hope offered. He smiled winsomely. "After all, Serah and I planned out this day with you in mind. So, we're basing what we know you'd like to do and not what we want to do."

_Good comeback_, Lightning thought approvingly. Hope was learning very quickly and very well how to keep up with her. Though, he was still behind her in many things. She leaned forward, noting in satisfaction the somewhat intimidated look on the boy's face. "How much are you willing to give as guarantee, Estheim? If I don't like what you have planned; I can't really back out by then, right? From the sounds of it, we're going a ways from the town."

_She_'_s got a point, _Hope pursed his lips, wits scrambling for a solution. "If you don't like it; you can increase my training regime for the rest of this summer." He offered boldly.

Lightning flashed him a deadly smirk. "And you'll take whatever I decide to say or add to the routine without any ounce of complaint, got me?" She poked his chest with her finger, testing the muscles underneath. He was improving but he still had a long way to go. To hide her scrutiny, Lightning listed her conditions briskly. "No whining or kicked-puppy looks and we finish when _I_ say so."—Serah snickered at the 'kicked-puppy' comment while Hope looked indignant—"Do we have a deal?" she crossed her arms challengingly.

The youth winced from the force of the earlier jab and swallowed at the imposing sight of his mentor staring him down before he squared his narrow shoulders and bravely met her unbending gaze. "Deal."

Lightning give a small smile and reached out a hand. They shook on it; sealing the bargain and Hope's dire fate.

Serah rolled her eyes. "You drive a hard bargain, Light."

Lightning merely directed her smirk at her younger sibling. "Yes, it's interesting of you to say so when _you_ won't be paying the price if I'm unsatisfied, little sister. I just _knew_ you were cunning."

Hope blinked once then shot the younger Farron a look of betrayal. Serah laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of her head.

"W-well, you were happy with what Hope already offered!" She dismissed. Hope's stare grew mildly resentful; Serah spared him an apologetic glance but continued. "Besides, I'm positive you'll love the place! Really!"

"Right." Lightning snorted, the glint in her eyes sparked. "Actually, I'm surprised I have this day off, though," she pointed out, "given what's happened; we're still all very busy. It's only been a little more than a year after the Fall. I should check on m—"

"Oh, no you don't!" Serah smirked. "The clause is still in effect, and even if it wasn't; you need a day off, Light. You're not going to get me to promise anything for that!"

"We talked with General Amador," Hope explained swiftly. "He already cleared you. He practically jumped at the chance, even. He couldn't stop laughing when Serah and I talked with him." Shrewd green eyes moved from her to Serah who was trying—and failing—to suppress her giggling. "I think I understand why now."

"So, it's an all out invasion this time," Lightning noted with wry amusement. "I should have guessed General Amodar had a hand in this too."

"Yep!" Serah admitted, looking triumphant. "And I even managed to enlist Hope here to ensure you celebrate your birthday properly this year!"

"And take the fall for you if I wasn't entirely happy, huh?" Lightning had to tease. Serah chuckled, mortified, as Hope fixed her with a disgruntled look.

"Yeah . . . but I really want to make this birthday better than any of the others." Serah's eyes darkened abruptly; and her face grew pained. "I have a lot to make up for."

"Serah . . ." Lightning began soothingly but, inwardly, she grimaced. In spite of that talk they had a couple of months ago; it looked like her little sister couldn't forget. She glanced to Hope, holding his gaze and silently expressing her desire to him; as she expected of him, the boy nodded faintly in understanding.

"Excuse me," he murmured to Serah. Quickly, Hope took Serah's empty cup from her loose grip, setting the dish down on Lightning's demolished tray; he added the empty pitcher to the pile along with his own consumed mug. The other tray was set somewhat precariously on top of the large slab and its contents. Lightning still held her glass of orange juice in one hand.

"I'll bring these out and wash them," he murmured helpfully; easily finding the perfect reason to leave.

"Thank you. I'd like some ice for this when you're done, Hope," Lightning requested, holding out the glass to him.

"Sure thing, Light." He replied readily; letting her set the glass at one clear corner on the tray. He rested his hand on Serah's shoulder and gave the young woman a reassuring squeeze; she flashed him a short, grateful smile. Hope might have known little of what really stood between them but he was insightful enough to offer his own brand of comfort. Light smiled at him tenderly.

He released Serah's shoulder and picked up the tray, taking care to balance the entire collection of porcelain securely in his hands before rising. He slipped out of the room quickly, closing the door after him; giving the Farron siblings the privacy Lightning had wanted. The soldier leaned forward and pulled her suddenly silent little sister close in a tight embrace. "I already told you I forgive you, Serah," she whispered. "Why is this still bothering you? Why are you even letting it?"

"I know, but it's taking a little longer for me to forgive myself," Serah murmured in return; her own hands slipping around Lightning's shoulders and around her neck; holding her with a fierceness and wiry strength that always surprised Lightning. Serah Farron was definitely not a weakling. Abruptly, Serah shook her head rigorously. "Please don't worry about me, Claire. I'll be fine; I have to handle this on my own. It's my problem because it was my fault in the first place. Most of all, remember it's your birthday today; it's all about you not me. I won't ever forget that again."

Lightning pulled back slightly, though her arms remained where they were, and searched Serah's face; noticing the familiar stubborn set of her jaw. "I'm holding you to that. What happened was in the past, Serah. It's over now. And, you're making up for it pretty well, actually." She broke into an unguarded smile. "In fact, one of my birthday wishes is you let it drop once and for all right now."

Serah laughed, a little shakily. "You really drive a hard bargain, Sis."

"Oh please, don't use that term," Lightning grimaced faintly.

"Why not? You didn't mind before!" Serah's smile grew warmer, and less strained. Her matching blue eyes were sparkling; chasing away the dark clouds that had dimmed them.

Lightning's scowl deepened. "That's until your husband started using it."

"Aww, it's how he shows how much he loves you! That he treats you like family; you _are _family now, after all."

"Serah." Lightning intoned commandingly. "Don't."

Her silvery laugh pulled a brief smile from Lightning but it faded quickly as the soldier continued. "I can accept that he loves you and he's willing to do anything for you; he's certainly proven it. But the prospect of his 'affections' being directed at me is enough for me to rescind my former approval. You can keep all his love, thank you very much."

Serah couldn't help it; she broke out howling with laughter. Just imagining her older sister running from Snow as he attempted to hug and kiss her was too much. Lightning merely rolled her eyes, having a good idea what Serah was thinking about. Inwardly, she was satisfied; having pulled her little sister out of her depression. _Mission accomplished_, she thought.

"You just prefer that it came from Hope!" Serah shrieked between her guffaws.

Dryly, Lightning concurred. "Indeed. He has far more restraint, even if he's so much younger than Snow. He has proper respect for 'Personal Space'. He makes sure I don't mind or am willing to be hugged before even remotely attempting to do so. Lastly, his hugs don't feel like strangleholds. So, please remind your idiot of a husband, I will not tolerate spontaneous hugs from _him_ of all people and I do _not _do _group hugs_!" She laced the words 'group hugs' with sheer disgust. "If he can't remember that fact, I will not be held liable for any bodily harm I inflict on him, understood?"

_But you don't mind being the one who does spontaneous __single-person hugs, huh?_ Serah thought to herself with glee; recalling such instances with her and Hope. Lightning seemed to have 'forgotten' about _her_ own lapses. Secretly, Serah didn't mind in the slightest. She absolutely loved those random displays of affection and had missed them immensely as over the years before the Fall, Lightning and her had become distant and those embraces had grown fewer and fewer . . . Serah would have done anything to have these incidents return and become frequent again. And now, she had an able accomplice.

"Serah?"

Serah bobbed her head obediently. "Right, gotcha. No hugs from Snow, or from any of NORA; and I'll make sure to include that you will be strictly exempted from all future group hugs."

"That is satisfactory."

Serah relaxed completely, her dark thoughts banished and the lingering voice of guilt was finally silenced. It was was what Claire wanted and Serah had promised her she would grant all of her dear sister's birthday wishes. She beamed suddenly; shyly. "You are happy about having Hope with us, right? I told him you'd love to have him along . . . But he still suggested that I ask you before we get further than breakfast if you wanted him to come along; he really wants you to have fun. He felt that if you want today to be about only the two of us then just tell him and he'll wait for us here. He wasn't too sure you'd want that much disruption of the 'Farron Tradition'."

Lightning smiled gently. _That_'_s Hope alright, always considerate and kind_._ Never one to impose himself on others_. "Thank you for thinking of adding Hope to our little 'tradition'," she admitted effortlessly. "I knew he wouldn't have joined unless you asked him and, personally, I want him along. It feels incomplete without him, actually."

"I know what you mean!" Serah agreed. "It's really too bad he's not here in New Bodhum more often; I wish we could keep him longer than the three months of summer he's staying here or the couple of weeks he managed to spare to visit us last year."

"It can't be helped; he has his own life to live, Serah, and I have a feeling he's not telling us something. But I'm sure, between the two of us; we'll have it out of him before he leaves. You can coax it out of him and, if that fails, I'll grill him."

"You're so mean to him, Light!" Serah protested, though there was an undertone of amusement in the younger woman's voice and definitely an eagerness that Lightning shared. Just like her, Serah and sense something amiss about Hope and was naturally worried. "But, I think that's why he looks up to you so much. You might be harsh, but you're fair . . . and I know how much you like having him around, Claire." Her face softened. "Personally, I want him around more for you than for me. He's good for you and you're good for him . . . though, there are some things you're teaching him that worry me." She frowned in disapproval.

"I'm sure." Lightning looked smug. "And, no I won't stop teaching him until I'm satisfied and it's _my_ business what I'm teaching him. Whether or not you like it. He's _my_ student—not yours, and you can't have him."

Serah held up her hands in defeat. "Right, right. Slave driver." She winked. "_Possessive_ slave driver at that."

Lightning looked unrepentant. "You should be familiar."

"That I am," Serah nodded solemnly. "For seven years, I was on the receiving end." She broke into a grin. "I'm only too glad to pass it on to someone else!"

Lightning smirked, kissing her younger sibling's forehead. "Right, and you're not entirely free of me yet, Serah Farron. Probably not ever."

Serah squeezed her back; throughout this talk they had remained in each other's arms. "I won't have it any other way, Big sister."

"Good. I won't hear any more apologies from you; you've been long forgiven. Leave this in the past, it doesn't matter anymore," Lightning insisted adamantly. "I won't have you beating yourself over the head with this, Serah."

"I know, and I grant it; it's a Birthday Wish after all," Serah accepted immediately. "Just promise me, you won't let your guilt and pain over your own failings to me bother you ever again."

"Done. But if it makes you feel better; I've stopped thinking about it since that night we had our talk."

"Good."

They released each other and Lightning reclined back into her pillows, murmuring. "So, what tortures shall you inflict on me today?" Lightning asked with her usual blandness; earning her a mock-glare from the smaller woman.

From the door, Hope snorted softly. "That's one way to see things, Serah does go overboard at times."

Serah stuck out her tongue at the boy. "I do not; you're just corrupted by my socially-lazy older sister."

Hope was impervious. "She didn't do much," he shrugged insouciantly. "I was already rather anti-social to begin with."

The youth headed to the bed and once more sat beside Lightning, handing her the glass of orange juice before reclaiming his seat. A new clump of ice chilled the beverage; he had even been thoughtful enough to refill the glass. Raising it to her lips, Lightning flashed him a warm smile and Hope grinned in reply. She drank deeply. Pulsian oranges were darker in shade, and had a much stronger taste; Lighting found she quite liked them over the Cocoon-produced variety.

_So many changes have happened, _she mused, feeling a surge of contentment. _But, it_'_s good to know some things don_'_t change, or the ones that are different, have changed for the better_.

Serah huffed, glaring at the pair. "It's not fair when it's two versus one."

"Life's unfair," Hope said impishly and Lightning nodded; in alarming tandem, the pair declared in identical bland tones. "Deal with it."

"Arrgh! It's like you made a carbon copy of yourself, Light!" Serah stood and threw up her hands in resignation and exasperation; easily spotting the matching smirks. "Freaky. Whatever, we're burning daylight!" she proclaimed with surprising brusqueness. "Light, get dressed; non-Guardian Corps uniform only! Why don't you wear that lovely pantsuit I bought for you last week? You can bring your gunblade since I couldn't pry it off you no matter what I do. Hope, get dressed too; you're going. Light's orders. Move it!"

"And she says I'm _your_ carbon copy?" Hope chuckled good-naturedly. "She should look at a mirror more often." His smile only widened at the glower Serah leveled at him. _She really has nothing on Light_, Hope compared mentally. Aloud, he added, "Case in point."

"Right." Lightning concurred readily; stretching and rising out of bed. She looked over to the night table as she set the empty glass down. "Oh, Serah," the soldier called, stopping the younger woman from stepping out of the bedroom. Hope was only several steps behind her and the youth halted too. "What did you do with my alarm clock? I know you usually fiddle with it the day before my birthday. I'm curious how you managed to get it out my sight; I could have sworn I set it last night."

"I have no idea, Light," Serah replied, genuinely startled; Lightning caught her quick glance towards Hope. She switched her penetrating gaze to the boy. "Hope?"

Wordlessly, Hope walked to the small table and pulled out the missing device from one of the many pockets of his cargo pants. Nonchalantly, he set the small gadget down beside the picture frame; exactly where Lightning normally placed it. He straightened, unfazed by the shocked look of the younger Farron and the rather intimidating stare of the older Farron.

"You told me she shouldn't be wakened normally," he explained simply; directing the answer mostly to Serah.

"I told you to turn off her alarm clock," Serah grinned, impressed by his audacity. "Not steal it."

"It would have been hard to sneak into her room while she's asleep, Serah." Hope pointed out calmly. "I'm confident enough to say I'm not so good that I can get past her, and I probably won't ever be. Besides, I noticed she usually checks the device before going to bed. If I turned off the alarm, she'd just reset it and get suspicious as to why it was unset in the first place. Light's very meticulous."

"So, why didn't she notice it was gone in the first place?" Serah looked puzzled.

"I did set it last night, as usual," Lightning recalled. "But then Hope came in while I was in bed, saying that he had run out of toothpaste. Which is odd, since I distinctly remembered the tube was half-full. So, I went to the pantry to get him some . . . !" She trailed off and her glare intensified. Hope twitched but looked entirely too unrepentant.

" . . . and left him in your room while you did and that was when he filched the alarm clock!" Serah concluded with a laugh. "Good work, Hope!"

"Don't encourage him, Serah!" Lightning barked, peeved. She stalked over to Hope who was growing increasingly worried. _Good_, she thought grimly. "What do you have to say for yourself, young man?"

Hope looked at her cautiously, only now beginning to look sheepish aside from alarmed. His retort, however, was far from contrite. "Mission accomplished!" He said cheekily; even going so far as to grin at her. He looked over to Serah. "She didn't wake up at all and had a good sleep, right, Serah?"

Serah couldn't reply; laughing as hard as she was.

Lightning scowled and reached up, flicking his forehead with her finger. "I don't recall teaching you these underhanded tactics." She crossed her arms in clear displeasure.

"Ow!" Hope rubbed the red spot. That had really stung! "Uhm, well, no. But, the direct approach clearly wasn't going to work if I understood Serah's stories correctly so I had to improvise."

Serah cocked her head to the side in confusion. Lightning gestured sharply. "Expound."

"Just turning off your alarm clock didn't seem to work since it's still in sight of you, Hope explained readily. "Besides, if you woke normally and saw the time, you'd probably jump out of bed and race out. Serah told me you did that a lot. She even mentioned on one such birthday you plowed into her and the traditional breakfast nearly fed the floor. I just wanted to preempt such an occurrence."

"Good point," Serah complimented him, chortling. "I never thought of actually stealing her alarm clock before! Fantastic idea, Hope! I'll let you decide what to do about that infernal contraption next year too!"

"Serah, I already said to stop encouraging him!" Lightning snapped in her usual curt tone. She refocused on the youth. "I didn't teach you to do that sort of thing, Hope Estheim. Especially to me."

Serah snorted. "That's double standards, Light! It's fine when he uses his brains on others but it's a big NO if it's on you!" She sniffed unsympathetically. " You only have yourself to blame. You taught him after all. I did warn you he'd pick up some bad habits!"

"Oh no, not this time." Lightning's blue eyes narrowed. "This sneakiness isn't the sort of thing I would teach him. Who gave you the idea?"

Hope scratched the back of his head. "Well . . . "

"_Hope_."

"It was Fang!" Hope spilled hastily, gulping at the dire threat in her eyes. "She taught me that if the direct approach doesn't work; _cheat."_

"_I knew it_." Lightning's scowl darkened. "I'm to going to have a very long talk with her when she wakes up. She shouldn't have taught you such methods . . . and I bet that new level of annoying cheekiness[**1**] is something you picked up from her too! She's given you far too many bad habits, Hope. You were never this irreverent before either. I still remember that episode where you . . . "

While Lightning gave her lecture, Serah and Hope exchanged long-suffering looks. Snow and the others didn't have any clue just how 'talkative' Lightning Farron could be. Completely contrary to her reputation as being the unapproachable, silent type when—or _if_—you did manage to get past that nearly unbreachable wall; you'd be in for quite the (un)pleasant shock.

Hope secretly wanted to tell them that they should consider themselves lucky. Not that they would _believe_ him, of course. Lightning was extreme in every way; Serah and he agreed between them that she brought 'being fussy' to a new level. Serah had endured this trait of her older sister for most of her life (another reason Hope had easily developed a deep respect for the younger Farron), and Hope briefly recalled the Gapra Woods[**2**]; back then, he hadn't realized he had only gotten a taste of what was to come. _And I thought __**Mom**__ was bad_—

"—Am I clear, Hope Estheim?"

Blinking, Hope refocused on the soldier and quickly bowed his head solemnly. "Crystal clear. I'm very sorry, Light," he apologized, looking truly repentant now. He wasn't faking it in the slightest either; the prospect of a 'Lightning Lecture' as Serah and he had come to call these tirades was an oxymoron. Lightning's reprimands were nothing like her name; they were never quick nor final. Though, Hope supposed they could be fatal; if one could die from boredom and guilt. Lightning was amazingly skilled at taking someone on a guilt trip. _I almost feel sorry for Light_'_s children—if she ever had any_._ Hmm, now that I think about it_;_ maybe I should start praying for __**Serah**_**'**_**s **__future __kids_._ But then, Serah can get pretty bad herself so those kids are doomed either way _ . . . .

With a great deal of effort, Hope quickly suppressed the wide grin that pulled hard on his lips at the thought of the tribulations the next generation of Farron-Villiers were destined to endure under their mother and, moreover, their aunt. _Better them than me,_ he thought without the faintest hint of remorse.

Hope had no illusions about his own fate if he grinned now; Lightning wouldn't appreciate his humor and likely retaliate in the worst possible way so he kept his reflections to himself. He stared at her with as much earnestness he could muster. "I know what I did was wrong; I just wanted you to be well-rested for today."

Lightning twitched at the expression on the boy's face. _Damn, it_'_s the kicked-puppy look_, she cursed inwardly. To her dismay, Lightning had discovered she possessed few defenses when Hope did that; for some reason, he was even better at it than Serah had been. And, unlike Serah, Lightning suspected he would never quite grow out of it[**3**]. _Not good_;_ especially for me_, she mused. _It gives him an edge against me_._ Not that I would ever let him know about it!_

"Fine." She accepted his apology grudgingly; just barely resisting the natural impulse to pet his head. "Now, move. I want you ready to leave in ten!"

Hope straightened and offered her a smart military salute. Critically, Lightning had to concede that it was on par with the ones given by her recruits in the Guardian Corps. "Yes, Ma'am!" He replied crisply, and sprinted out of the room.

Serah, who had simply watched the exchange, shook her head in amusement. "You really have your claws sunk in him deep, Claire."

Lightning wheeled on her, leveling a finger at her. "The same order goes for you; _march_!"

Like Hope, Serah saluted. Unlike the youth, however, hers was distinctly sloppy. Lightning cringed slightly at the sight. Serah had never really gotten the hang of military decorum nor did the girl make much effort to do so. "Yes, Ma'am!" She chirped, far too cheerfully for Lightning's liking.

Seeing her sister's discomfort, Serah turned the salute into a jaunty wave and sauntered to the door. Not to be outdone, Lightning moved close as Serah passed her. Seizing the startled girl, Lightning began running her fingers up and down Serah's sides. As the captain expected, Serah squealed loudly; laughing helplessly as she was tickled. She continued until her younger sister was nearly limp and begging for mercy.

"Don't underestimate me," Lightning warned her with her trademark smirk. "I win most of the time and, since it's my birthday as you keep reminding me, you are obligated to indulge me completely. So, I believe I am fully entitled to winning _all_ the time today."

Serah stuck out her tongue, gasping almost painfully and holding her arms protectively around her chest and stomach. She had skittered away from the taller woman the moment Lightning had dropped her hands. "And you told Hope not to be sneaky, that was downright _sly_!"

"'Do what I say, not what I do'," Lightning quoted without missing a beat. "Now, are you going or . . . " She raised her hands, fingers curled and reaching. She laughed softly as her sister gave a terrified squeak and wisely fled; throwing back a few groundless threats in her retreat.

Lightning felt a gentle smile settle on her lips as her room emptied; the door quietly swinging shut after Serah. The soldier strode to her cabinet, bringing out the outfit Serah had all but ordered her to wear. Not entirely her style, but she supposed she'd let Serah have this little victory.

_Two of them_, she mused, half in amusement and half in resignation. _I_'_m going to have my hands full today_. _But, something tells me_;_ it_'_ll be worth it_.

**T****o ****B****e ****C****ontinued** . .

[**1**] I think it is likely the North American Localization of the game but Hope develops a surprising (and endearing) level of sarcastic wit. One only has to remember his very memorable "**Oh**. **I'm great**!" comment to Vanille as they plummeted to certain death in the end of chapter X and his easy comeback to Snow on Gran Pulse during the 'Dahaka Cutscene' in Yaschas Massif in Chapter XI, and I'm sure we can all agree on this. Wow, Light (and probably even Fang) have really taught that kid some things. I wonder how Nora's taking what they've done to her little boy in the Afterlife. xD

[**2**] Anyone who has ever played the game knows _exactly_ what I mean in regards to Gapra Whitewood. Halfway through chapter V, I was constantly talking to the LED screen of my TV (earning some really strange looks from my younger brother who happened to be on the nearby PC); telling Lightning that she was being way too talkative and that I'm pretty sure Hope didn't need _that_ much advice. He's a pretty smart kid after all. (As long as Snow wasn't mentioned) xD

[**3**] Seriously. Hope has not ever (and, will most likely, _never_) outgrown having the most pathetic (and downright _**adorable**_) expressions of woe and sadness I have seen in FFXIII. Even in the sequel, whenever he looks stricken or sad; he really looks like a kicked puppy. You just want to hug him and console him; even when he's twenty-seven! Gah, SO CUTE! xP Okay, ending my fangirl-rant.

**R****uine's ****E****nd ****N****ote**:

Usually, I wait until I finish a story before posting but given the length of this chapter alone ( 7,961 words, and this is only the content of the story itself! ); I think it's best I give it out in segments.

Secondly, I feel that I might have led the Characters astray and, if I had, please inform me as to what aspects I might have missed or mangled unintentionally. All critique is welcomed; this allows me to revamp before I get further into the story and the misrepresentation of the Characters becomes irreversible.

Finally, thank you very much for reading to the end (and a very special thanks to those who take the time to leave a review). I hope to see you in the next chapter! Reviews would be very much appreciated and heavily encouraged.


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